Posts tagged with brain.
Are aging brain cells a barrier to higher education?
If you're over the age of forty and thinking about going back to school, you might want to think again. Some recent articles have been claiming certain "cognitive challenges" which older students could face in university, including a decrease in our processing speed and an increased vulnerability to distraction.
I wasn't too surprised to read that some cognitive skills can decline with age. I admit that more than once I've been hunting around for my car keys, only to finally look down and see them in my clenched fist. My short-term memory does seem to have definitely deteriorated over the years. But to be honest, I've always attributed my "vulnerability to distraction" to having five kids in the house.
Up until recently, I had also assumed that two of the biggest barriers between me and maybe one day earning a master's degree was whether I could afford the time and money.
Well, that and figuring out which master's degree would make sense for me to pursue. And which program I'd actually have a shot at getting accepted into. And how to go about obtaining some of those required academic references for your application if you've been out of school for a few decades.
I mean, are my teachers back in Dawson College (circa 1978) even still alive? I thought they were already old back then. I can't even imagine how decrepit they must be by now, almost 32 years later.
As someone who is just weeks away from celebrating her 50th birthday, according to recent reports on the issue, apparently I can also forget about being able to multitask. My kids might be able to update their Facebook, send some e-mails and listen to music while studying. But for older students, a quiet place free of distraction is supposedly a crucial key to success.
I say forget about our aging brain cells. Instead, I think the biggest barrier to mature students might be having to deal with adult responsibilities. There are always exceptions, of course, but there's less environmental stress when you're living in your parents' house, or in residence, than when you have a mortgage, heating and electric bills, car payments, and a couple of kids to worry about.
So, as soon as I remember which master's degree I used to dream of one day pursuing, I swear, I'm going to look into it.
Tagged with
aging,
mature,
barrier,
older,
brain,
student
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